1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information storing medium mounted to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a unit that is detachably mountable to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a developing cartridge, a process cartridge, and the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium using an electrophotographic image forming process. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus are an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for instance, a laser beam printer, an LED printer, and the like), a facsimile apparatus, a word processor, and the like.
Also, the process cartridge integrally combines a charging means, a developing means, and a cleaning means which each function as a process means, with an electrophotographic photosensitive body into a cartridge that is detachably mountable to a main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge also integrally combines the electrophotographic photosensitive body with at least one of the charging means, the developing means, and the cleaning means that each function as a process means into a cartridge that is detachably mountable to the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Further, the process cartridge integrally combines at least the developing means functioning as a process means with an electrophotographic photosensitive body into a cartridge that is detachably mountable to the main body of the apparatus main body.
The developing cartridge integrally combines a developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive body with a developer container (hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9ctoner containing portionxe2x80x9d) for containing a developer (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9ctonerxe2x80x9d) into a cartridge that is detachably mountable to the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
Also, the unit includes an electrophotographic photosensitive body solely. Alternatively, the unit includes at least one process means like a developing means and a cleaning means. In some cases, the unit includes a fixing means and the like. This unit is detachably mountable to the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
It is possible for a user to attach and detach the unit, the process cartridge, and the developing cartridge to and from the apparatus main body by himself/herself, which allows the user to perform maintenance on the apparatus main body without difficulty.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that uses an electrophotographic image forming process, there has been adopted a process cartridge system integrally combining an electrophotographic photosensitive body with a process means acting on this electrophotographic photosensitive body into a cartridge that is detachably mountable to the main body of the image forming apparatus. With this process cartridge system, a user can perform maintenance on the apparatus without depending on a serviceman, whereby a substantial improvement can be achieved in terms of operability. Thus, the process cartridge system is widely used for electrophotographic image forming apparatuses.
Also, in recent years, there has been developed a product in which a memory (storing element) for storing various kinds of service information and process information is mounted in a cartridge. As to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the image quality and the ease of maintenance of a cartridge are further improved by utilizing memory information of this cartridge. Also, in some cases, there are performed telecommunications with the memory of the cartridge through electrical connection with a connector provided on the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
However, in the case where there is used a conventional contact connector, to realize reliable electrical connection, the communication mechanism of the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus and the contact point of the memory on the cartridge side become complicated, and it becomes difficult to reduce the size and cost of an apparatus like a printer.
The present invention has been made in view of the unsolved problems of the background art.
An object of the present invention is to provide an information storing medium, a unit, a process cartridge, a developing cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which when the information storing medium is mounted to the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a main body electrical contact point provided on the apparatus main body contacts an electrical contact point of the information storing medium with stability and reliability.
Also, another object of the present invention is to provide an information storing medium, a unit, a process cartridge, a developing cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that save space and are of a reduced size.
Also, still another object of the present invention is to provide an information storing medium, a unit, a process cartridge, a developing cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that are capable of maintaining a contact condition with stability when an electrical contact point of the information storing medium contacts a main body electrical contact point provided on the apparatus main body.
Also, yet another object of the present invention is to provide an information storing medium, a unit, a process cartridge, a developing cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that are capable of ensuring a reliable electrical connection, even if scattered developer or the like adheres to the main body electrical contact point or the electrical contact point, by removing this adhering matter.
Also, yet another object of the present invention is to provide an information storing medium to be mounted to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:
a substrate;
a storing element, provided on the substrate, for storing information;
a protecting portion, covering the storing element, for protecting the storing element;
an electrical contact point that is provided beside the protecting portion on a side of the substrate, on which the storing element is provided, and is electrically connected to the storing element, wherein when the storing medium is mounted on the apparatus main body, the electrical contact point contacts a main body electrical contact point provided on the apparatus main body; and
a sliding region that is provided on the electrical contact point, wherein when the electrical contact point and the main body electrical contact point contact each other, the main body electrical contact point slides on the electrical contact point in the sliding region.
Also, yet another object of the present invention is to provide a unit detachably mountable to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:
an information storing medium including: a substrate; a storing element, provided on the substrate and, for storing information; a protecting portion, covering the storing element, for protecting the storing element; an electrical contact point that is provided beside the protecting portion on a side of the substrate, on which the storing element is provided, and is electrically connected to the storing element, wherein when the unit is mounted on the apparatus main body, the electrical contact point contacts a main body electrical contact point provided on the apparatus main body; and a sliding region that is provided on the electrical contact point, wherein when the electrical contact point and the main body electrical contact point contact each other, the main body electrical contact point slides on the electrical contact point in the sliding region; and
an information storing medium mounting portion in which the information storing medium is mounted.
Also, yet another object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge that is detachably mountable to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, composing:
an electrophotographic photosensitive body;
process means for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive body;
an information storing medium including: a substrate; a storing element provided on the substrate, for storing information; a protecting portion, covering the storing element for protecting the storing element; an electrical contact point that is provided beside the protecting portion on a side of the substrate, on which the storing element is provided, and is electrically connected to the storing element, wherein when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, the electrical contact point contacts a main body electrical contact point provided on the apparatus main body; and a sliding region that is provided on the electrical contact point, wherein when the electrical contact point and the main body electrical contact point contact each other, the main body electrical contact point slides on the electrical contact point in the sliding region; and
an information storing medium mounting portion in which the information storing medium is mounted.
Also, yet another object of the present invention is to provide a developing cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:
developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive body with a developer; an information storing medium including: a substrate; a storing element provided on the substrate, for storing information; a protecting portion, covering the storing element, for protecting the storing element; an electrical contact point that is provided beside the protecting portion on a side of the substrate, on which the storing element is provided, and is electrically connected to the storing element, wherein when the developing cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, the electrical contact point contacts a main body electrical contact point provided on the apparatus main body; and a sliding region that is provided on the electrical contact point, wherein when the electrical contact point and the main body electrical contact point contact each other, the main body electrical contact point slides on the electrical contact point in the sliding region; and
an information storing medium mounting portion in which the information storing medium is mounted.
Also, yet another object of the present invention is to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable and which forms an image on a recording medium, comprising:
(i) a main body electrical contact point;
(ii) mounting means for dismountably mounting the process cartridge, including:
an electrophotographic photosensitive body;
process means for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive body;
an information storing medium, the information storing medium having: a substrate; a storing element provided on the substrate, for storing information; a protecting portion, covering the storing element, for protecting the storing element; an electrical contact point that is provided beside the protecting portion on a side of the substrate, on which the storing element is provided, and is electrically connected to the storing element, wherein when the process cartridge is mounted on an apparatus main body, the electrical contact point contacts the main body electrical contact point; and a sliding region that is provided on the electrical contact point, wherein when the electrical contact point and the main body electrical contact point contact each other, the main body electrical contact point slides on the electrical contact point in the sliding region; and
an information storing medium mounting portion in which the information storing medium is mounted; and
(iii) convey means for conveying the recording medium.
Also, yet another object of the present invention is to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, to which a developing cartridge is detachably mountable and which forms an image on a recording medium, comprising:
(i) a main body electrical contact point;
(ii) mounting means for dismountably mounting the developing cartridge, including:
an electrophotographic photosensitive body;
process means for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive body,
an information storing medium, the information storing medium having: a substrate; a storing element provided on the substrate, for storing information; a protecting portion, covering the storing element, for protecting the storing element; an electrical contact point that is provided beside the protecting portion on a side of the substrate, on which the storing element is provided, and is electrically connected to the storing element, wherein when the developing cartridge is mounted on an apparatus main body, the electrical contact point contacts the main body electrical contact point; and a sliding region that is provided on the electrical contact point, wherein when the electrical contact point and the main body electrical contact point contact each other, the main body electrical contact point slides on the electrical contact point in the sliding region; and
an information storing medium mounting portion in which the information storing medium is mounted; and
(iii) convey means for conveying the recording medium.